What If
by ErisRocks
Summary: What if during the Twilight Ares had a wife and what would this mean for the fate of Xena, Gabrielle and Eve.
1. Of Heirs and Marriages

What If during the Twilight Ares had a wife. What would that mean for Xena and co.

Chapter 1: Of Heirs and Marriages

Zeus was dead. Hera was missing. All of Olympus was in an uproar, his brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles all arguing. That was where Ares was right now, seated on his throne, made out of the skin and bones of the mortals he had slain in battle, in between Athena and Poseidon. The current argument was over who was to be Zeus' successor on the golden throne of Olympus, under normal circumstances a fight would have still ensued, but this time the successor was unknown. There were two groups each arguing for their chosen deity. The first was for himself and the second was for Athena. What had initially started as a debate over the terms of a binding marriage had lead to a full blown screaming match between to two parties. Usually Ares would have been amused by the change in events but now they were really starting to piss him off.

Rising to his feet Ares let out a mighty roar of frustration "All of you just shut up!" When the assembled gods all shrank back or at least stopped talking, momentarily. "Please lady fate, continue."

Clotho stepped forward and began to read from a scroll she held in her hands, Zeus' last will and testament. "I, Zeus as the ruling leader of the Olympian Gods and god of the sky do hereby proclaim that my heir shall be..." The assembled gods all leaned forward expectantly and held their breath in unison. "Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare and weaving..." The fate was interrupted by a loud cheer echoing from Athena's supporters and a cry of victory from the goddess herself.

"Yes!" Athena screamed in victory.

Ares slumped further in his chair as his sister leapt to her feet. It wasn't that he was shocked, quite the opposite, he had expected that from his father, he had always liked Athena best.

"...and Ares, god of war..." Ares looked up at that, surprise etched onto his handsome face.

"What?" Athena screamed, as shocked looks appeared on the faces of the other gods and whispers started up.

The fate smirked slightly as she read the last words on the parchment "are to be joined in marriage and rule together as both my heirs and King and Queen of Olympus." the fate concluded as she rolled up the parchment, placed a separate scroll on a column and she and her sisters disappeared back to their cave.

"No!" Athena shouted as she fell back onto her throne, continuing to mutter to herself, as she placed her head in her hands. Ares however adopted a thoughtful pose as he tried to comprehend what type of herb his father was smoking when he wrote his will. He and Athena? The idea was preposterous, he and his sister barely got along as it was. It wasn't like his relationship with Aphrodite they got along like peaches and cream. Ares was broken from his reverie as Apollo walked up to the column and picked up the scroll. Ares drew his dagger from his belt and flicked it at Apollo, his aim was impeccable and Apollo quickly dropped the scroll back onto the column. Apollo grabbed the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out of his forearm, a sliver of golden ichor slipped out of the wound before Apollo lifted his other hand to heal it.

"Nobody touches that scroll except me." Ares spoke darkly as he stood up from his throne and walked to the column. Everyone else wisely kept quiet as Ares spoke, all except one.

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you," Athena muttered angrily as she stood up, her horror gone and replaced with a fiery hate. "well you can forget it I am Zeus' heir and I am Queen now, so you can take that scroll and stick it up your..."

"Everyone look!" Discord yelled as she looked in the scrying bowl. Other minor gods such as Hebe and Deimos surrounding her.

"What is it Discord?" Ares spoke confused as to what could be so important as to disturb the meeting.

The minor gods shrunk back as the ten major gods crowded around the bowl. They looked curiously looked into the bowl and they saw a pristine, lush forest and in a small clearing was the warrior princess, Xena, her companion Gabrielle and Hercules. The gods looked on in horror as they saw Hercules hand Xena a large, curved and white object which they recognised as one of Cronos' ribs.

"This is all your fault Ares!" Athena screamed as she whipped away from the scene to confront her brother. "if you had just done away with Xena when you had the chance none of this would have happened!"

"Don't you dare try and pin this mess on me sister, this has Hercules' handiwork written all over it. You and I both know that if he hadn't chosen his friend over his family then we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place." Ares glared at his sister, already sick of hearing about his supposed shortcomings as both a god and a man.

The silence that came after Ares had spoken was becoming a bit awkward until Poseidon broke it with what he thought was a funny joke. "So when's the wedding, you two." he chortled and one by one the other gods, aside from Athena and Ares, started laughing. Athena went bright red and ducked her head, hiding her lovely face from view. Ares took that moment to contemplate marriage with his sister. It wasn't as if he didn't find his sister attractive, quite the opposite actually he found her to be one of the most beautiful goddesses he'd ever met, but it was her pride in maintaining a distance with all men, apart from their father, that had created a strain in their relationship as well as the competition for top war god that had taken place for centuries. But she was also intelligent, a great tactician and an excellent fighter. All in all Ares figured that out of all the sister's he could have to marry, Athena wasn't so bad.

Meanwhile in the Mortal Realm

Hercules was watching as Xena and Gabrielle crowded around the new baby, Eve. She was a beautiful baby, Hercules had to admit, she had her mother's hair and ice blue eyes and a cute button nose Hercules assumed she got from her other parent of sorts Callisto. The fate of Xena's newborn daughter was what had him worried at the moment, which was precisely why he had given Xena the rib he had acquired with Hera's help. The continuous rolling thunder concerned Hercules, he knew enough of the gods to know that Olympus was in an uproar over the deaths of their King and Queen and that he would eventually become a target of their collected wrath which would most likely end in a speedy trial for which he would be found guilty of maliciously murdering Zeus and they would most likely find a way to pin Hera's disappearance on him as well, despite his best intentions things were not looking good for the son of Zeus.

Like Hercules, Xena was also worried for the fate of her newborn child, as she had just discovered the gods of Olympus were determined to exterminate her life and Ares had made her a frightening offer that if she were to give him a child then he would save them from the combined wrath of the Olympians. The very thought of such a proposal made Xena feel sick to her stomach, she was certain that Ares would not only make a terrible father but that he was up to one of his old tricks and was only making the offer to trick her into lying with him and he would not keep true to his word, therefore trusting Ares was akin to death.

"Hercules." Xena called.

Hercules looked up from his musings and walked over to where Xena was sitting, still holding Eve in her arms.

"What is it Xena?"Hercules asked wondering what could tear a new mother from the joys of newfound motherhood.

"I'm concerned Hercules, about the gods, what are we going to do? I know that you have given me a rib of Cronos but there is only so much we can do. I can't take on more than one at a time and why haven't we been attacked by the other gods yet?"

"I don't know Xena all I can think of is that you have them spooked and they are biding their time, assembling their forces and planning their next move. That would be my best guess. As for when they're going to attack I have no idea, but I promise you Xena I would rather die than help them kill your child."

"Thank you Hercules." Xena whispered gratefully, as she rocked the baby to sleep and she looked to an uncertain future.

High on Mount Olympus the goddess Athena was sitting in her private quarters dressed in a beautiful virgin white wedding dress, with golden trimming, and a white veil obscuring her face from view. Finally a golden crown, adorned with fabulous gems, sat on top of her lustrous auburn ringlets. Tears of sorrow were following freely down her face, as she cried for her lost life. Today she was to marry her brother Ares and chain herself to him, forever. Aphrodite, Artemis and Discord, all dressed in gold, were attempting to comfort their sister as they prepared her for the ceremony that was to take place in a few minutes. Athena was having trouble just contemplating how her father could destroy her life like this, it wasn't her fault that the laws of Olympus did not allow a divorce and that her legitimacy as heir of Olympus was under debate due to her birthday being the same as her brother's and the fact that her mother Metis was still very much alive inside of her father, at least until he was killed. Athena continued to sob as Discord lifted the veil to reveal her tearstained face, Athena looked up at her with red eyes and did nothing as her sister gently wiped the tears from her face.

"Are you alright Athena?" Discord asked concerned, her dark eyes, so like Ares' searching her sister's face worriedly.

"Do I look like I'm alright Eris?" Athena asked anger slowly overcoming the despair she had been feeling moments ago. "do I look like I want to marry your stupid brother?"

"I never suggested that you wanted to marry Ares, Athena. I, that is, we are concerned for you. We don't want you to let this marriage destroy who you are."

"What are you talking about Eris, of course this marriage is going to destroy who I am. I have prided myself on being a _virgin_ goddess for centuries and now I am expected to spread my legs for Ares, whom I do not love and give it all up because our father was too much of a snivelling coward to just name one of us as his heir." Athena concluded as her eyes filled with fresh tears and she lowered her head into her hands and continued to sob.

Discord shared a look with Aphrodite and Artemis as she shook her head and they left their heartbroken sister to deal with her grief.

Meanwhile Ares and the other gods where waiting in the main hall for Athena to arrive. Ares turned at three bright sparkles of light as Artemis, Aphrodite and Discord arrived in the main hall. Discord turned and walked up to Ares, she whispered something into his ear and then disappeared again to be with Athena.

Athena looked up as Discord appeared back in her room, a rag in her hand. Athena lifted her head as she sister whipped her face clean and reapplied her makeup.

"Are you ready?" Discord asked tentatively "Ares is waiting."

"I'm ready," Athena sniffed and then stood up smoothing her dress down once she stood. "let's go."

The two goddesses disappeared and then reappeared in the main hall. Athena walked the small distance to the altar. Ares reached out a hand and took his sister's, he squeezed her hand slightly as she shot him a nervous glance and he reassuringly stroked her cheek. She smiled slightly as they both turned to look at Hestia, as she began the ceremony.

"Hear me gods and goddesses, today we are here to bind Ares, god of war and Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare and weaving, in marriage. Gods first."

"With this hand I will lift your sorrows, your cup will never empty for I will be your wine, with this candle I will light your way in darkness with this ring I ask you to be mine*." Ares spoke confidently as he looked into his sister's clear sky blue eyes and lifted her left hand to place a stunning golden wedding band encrusted with rubies onto her finger.

"Now you." Hestia spoke looking at her niece.

"With this hand I will lift you sorrows, your cup will never empty for I will be your wine, with this candle I will light your way in darkness, with this ring I ask you to be mine." Athena spoke her voice cracking on the last syllable, as she placed a similar looking ring, encrusted with sapphires instead of rubies, onto his finger.

"Ares, you may now kiss your bride."

Ares leaned in and lifted the veil, revealing her face, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. Hestia muttered an incantation as she bound their union forever. Athena broke the kiss as she looked up at her brother now husband from beneath her long lashes. Ares tangled his fingers into her hair, marvelling at the softness. Athena gave him a confused look before turning to face the crowd which had exploded into applause at their kiss. Ares just smiled at her, which only confused her more, and turned to shake hands with Apollo. Off to one side Hermes and Strife were speaking quietly to themselves as the newlyweds acceppted congradulations from the other gods.

"Aunty 'Ena sure looks great huh Hermes." Strife spoke his blue eyes taking in the wedding party as the gods continued to mill around Ares and Athena.

"Yes, she does, but more to the point Strife this will be a great opportunity for the House of War wont it?"

"Wadda ya mean Herm?"

"Well now that both Athena and Ares are King and Queen, the House of War is surely to get their way with petitions including those how best to deal with Xena."

"Too right Herm too right." Strife muttered as he and Hermes made their way to the mortal realm to begin telling the high priests and priestesses of the new King and Queen of Olympus.

A/N: So that concludes chappie 1 yay plz read and review peeps ty


	2. Marriage Beds and Mothers

Chapter 2: Marriage Beds and Mothers

The gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus had moved the wedding party into the gardens of the mountain. Before her death Hera had worked tirelessly to transform the gardens of Olympus into the gods personal Elysian Fields. Athena and Ares were seated at the front of the gardens garbed in their after party outfits, Athena was wearing a gorgeous royal blue tunic, with her new crown situated on top of her head and Ares was wearing his usual leather attire, as well as a wondrous golden crown, encrusted with fabulous gems. Ares looked over at his brand new wife and reached over to hold her hand under the table set out before them.

"What are you doing?" Athena whispered quietly, as she looked over at Ares.

Ares ignored her question and simply asked "How are you doing?"

Athena gave him a quizzical look as she glanced at their joined hands. "I'm fine Ares, why would you think anything different?"

"Eris told me that you had been crying." he said concerned.

"And why do you care?" she asked haughtily.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners"

"My mother is dead Ares." Athena said her voice cracking slightly, as tears welled in her eyes.

There was an awkward pause as Ares carefully released her hand and he returned his attention to the festivities before them.

Athena was confused, why was he acting so strange. It was very unlike Ares to treat her with this level of tenderness and compassion. Perhaps he had realised how the last few days had left their mark on her, but it still didn't explain why he was treating her like this, but it was something Athena was going to discover preferably before their wedding night. The very thought of giving herself to Ares tonight left her in a cold sweat, the concept of physical intimacy was completely foreign to her and she now suspected that this was the reason for his sudden interest in her. He was trying to ease her into the idea, to open up a world full of possibilities of them together and all she had to do was trust him. This, however, struck Athena as something quite difficult to do. She and her brother had never really gotten along and now she was just supposed to trust him without a single backward glance, how was she supposed to do that!

Ares was having similar thoughts, he was trying to find a way to make this easier on his sister, but her scepticism of his intentions was making it very difficult. Ares knew that they needed them to start on their duties as King and Queen. They needed to inform the other pantheons of the change in leadership, inform the mortal leaders of the new temples to build, catch up on the new paperwork that was sure to arrive. He shuddered at the last one, Zeus never really was a big fan of the paperwork. Ares carefully controlled the motion as it drew a curious stare from Athena. Ares, was thankful that at least Athena did not know of the deal he had made to Xena and if she did find out she would make his life a living hell.

Meanwhile in the Mortal Realm

Xena, Eve and Gabrielle were on their way to Amphipolis to visit Xena's mother, Cyrene and show her, her brand new granddaughter. Since they were a long way away, the journey would take at least a week. Hercules had volunteered to stay with them, until some of the heat was off.

"So why are we heading to Amphipolis Xena?" Hercules asked as he walked at a leisurely pace beside Argo.

"I want my mother to meet her new granddaughter Hercules." Xena replied a wry smile on her lips, Hercules could be so foolish sometimes.

Hercules dipped his head in a blush as he continued to walk, of course Xena would want to see her mother, it was the first thing he had done when his first wife had given birth to their children. His wife, his children, after all these years he still missed them just as much as ever and Hercules figured that nothing would ever change that. Hercules was curious however as to how long it would take the other gods to react to Eve's birth and the deaths of Zeus and Hera.

Back on Mount Olympus

Athena and Ares' wedding party had drawn to a close, and the other gods had left the two alone for some 'quiet time' in their new quarters. The room was decorated with beautiful white marble columns and golden walls inlaid with precious gems. The four poster bed was made of the best pine wood and covered with golden sheets and a blood red canopy. A pine desk was set in a corner, stacked high with paper work. Finally stone floors inlaid with gold accents finished off the room. _Bunch of perves_ Athena thought viciously, as she noticed yet another scrying mirror popping into the new King and Queen's private chambers. It mattered little to her as all she and Ares were doing was paperwork, lots and lots of paperwork. Another thing that their father wasn't particularly keen on doing. Athena had just finished signing another treaty from Odin and the other Norse gods when she noticed that Ares was staring at her.

"What is it?" Athena asked as she looked up at Ares self consciously from the pine desk set in one corner of the room.

"Oh, um I - I was just wondering if you had finished reviewing Odin's proposal for sharing harvests." Ares finished lamely as he looked away from Athena.

"Right," Athena responded, not believing for a second that that was what Ares was really asking about. "Ares," Athena asked as she looked up from her new scroll. "What are we going to do about Xena?"

"Xena? Oh right Xena, well I would imagine that we begin to hit her with everything we've got. If what the Fates said is true then our deaths are ensured so long as Xena and her child live."

"I'm surprised brother, that you are so willing to make such a sacrifice especially since you made an offer to Xena to spare her and her child from our wrath if she gave you a child of your own." Athena finished dangerously as she glared at her husband.

"Oh, Shit," Ares squeaked as he dodged her twin blue thunderbolts, that flung from her hands. "Athena, baby, it's not like that I was only trying to gain Xena's trust to provide her with another option besides death so that maybe at the eleventh hour she would trust her child to me and I might be able to thwart the Fates prophesy." Ares winced as he waited for the next volley of thunderbolts to come flying at him. There was a large pause as Ares waited, he could practically hear the wheels turning in his sister's head.

"Why Ares how clever you are." Athena finally spoke, lowering her hands to fold them neatly in front of her.

"I am? I mean of course I am." Ares said gleefully, happy that his wife didn't want to fling him into Tartarus for attempting to betray her.

"You plan to betray Xena by making it appear that you are betraying us," Athena responded as she walked seductively, dangerously towards her husband "oh, my love that is brilliant," she squealed as she stroked his cheek softly.

This was one of the reasons that Athena had always unnerved Ares, it was her ability to strip a man down so that all his faults and weaknesses were laid bare so that she could manipulate them into doing anything. It had him at times truly afraid of her.

Ares, very carefully, took her hand and kissed her knuckles. A truly sentimental gesture one wouldn't expect of the god of war. He then leaned in to kiss her mouth gently, as he felt Athena respond slowly to the kiss and he brought his hands up to cradle her face between his hands. He slowly moved his hands away from her face to hold her upper arms, just as he was about to deepen their kiss he felt Athena move away.

"What is it?" Ares asked, confused as to why she had pulled away.

"I can't, not yet, it's too soon." she replied, lowering her head in shame.

Ares looked at her with a mixture of pity and tenderness, as he tilted her chin to look up at him.

"Don't be sad, we can wait, we will have an eternity for that. I promise."

Athena smiled at his words and tilted her head up to kiss him once again, pulling back Athena smiled once again at her brother before moving away to the bed. Ares turned away as he saw his sister beginning to remove her armour in favour of a blue nightgown that fell to her knees. Ares turned back around as Athena placed her helmet on a stand with the rest of her armour. Ares, realising that it was getting late, slipped in beside his wife wearing a black shirt and pants. He snuggled up to her placing one arm around her waist and curled up at her back. Athena allowed Ares to hold her as she thought about her plans for Xena and her unholy offspring.


End file.
